When I visit Fort Worth (usually for work), I make an effort to stop by Avoca Coffee when I get the chance. I’ve tried a couple of their single-origin coffees before and have been very pleased both times. They also pull a fantastic shot of espresso in their shop! This is the first blend I’ve tried from Avoca, and I picked this particular bag up at RE:defined Coffee House in Grapevine, TX.
(I will admit, 95% of the reason I chose this bag was the fact that it shares its name with the band Mogwai. The other 5% was that it was very freshly roasted!)
Whole bean: When I opened the bag and took a whiff, all I could initially smell was plastic. I’m guessing it had something to do with the bag itself, because once I took the beans out and ground them, they smelled like cocoa and cinnamon.
V60: This was not a very sweet cup of coffee; it tasted rather savory and spicy. Nutty and a little grassy, like green bell pepper.
AeroPress: Oof, this smelled like a nail salon. Thankfully, this tasted a lot better than it smelled. The coffee was smooth and dark with a bit of kick on the finish, like someone put a touch of cayenne pepper in the cup.
Chemex: This cup was dominated by dark chocolate flavor. It had a pretty thin texture (no surprise in this application) and overall was a pretty simple, crowd-pleasing cup.
French press: Smooth, chocolaty, and easily approachable. Slightly more enjoyable to me than the Chemex version because I liked the thicker body.
Summary: The Chemex and French press cups lacked the complexity of the other cups, but I think that was a good thing in this case. The French press would be my vote for how best to prepare this coffee, unless you prefer a more savory cup – then the V60 might float your boat. I also have it on good authority that this coffee is quite helpful when recovering from a hangover!
From the roaster: Pecan, cacao nibs, and serrano pepper flavors with a medium acidity and a dry lingering finish. A consistent everyday coffee with soft flavors and silky body.